Be My Boyfriend!
by BleedingHeartsoftheWorldUnite
Summary: A drifter passing through town one fall stops for sushi. Smitten with Yamamoto, she agrees to stay in town. After enrolling in school, she meets her ex, Gokudera. How will she cope? By asking Yamamoto to be her boyfriend of course! 59xOC, 80xOc, non-yaoi!
1. Be My Boyfriend, part 1

It was an ordinary day with nothing particularly bad or good about it. The sun was out, but there was a crisp chill in the air. The leaves on the trees had begun to wither and the flowers to wilt. The fall was here, no doubt about it. Even to a passerby like me, it was obvious that if one didn't prepare now, winter was going to leave you with more than frostbite.

"Takeshi, hurry up with those orders!" The voices from the sushi restaurant carried on the cutting wind, along with the scents.

Grrrummm, my stomach growled at me to feed it. I had to obey myself, so I entered the eatery. I only went to this place because it was close to me, also because I didn't know when I'd pass another suitable establishment in my seemingly endless journey.

The place was nice. It had a respectable air to it, and a close knit-family feel, so that made it all the nicer. It was fairly busy though, so I figured I would have to wait awhile before I was served, even if I did get a table immediately. I'll admit that as I strolled in waiting for a waiter, a really cut guy/waiter caught my eye, and he smiled at me!

"Hello, table for one?" He walked over to me after grabbing a menu.

"Yeah," I took a deep breath and followed him to an empty table.

"Here you are. Would you like something to drink while you look over the menu?" He asked handing me the menu.

"Uh, I guess water," I shrugged, unsure of what they served so I chose the safest bet.

He nodded, "One water,"

As he turned to leave, I reached out to get his attention, "Um, wait, I'm ready to eat now,"

"Alright, what can I get you?" He asked kindly, smiling at me again.

I looked at him, "Food. I don't know, what would you recommend?"

He thought about it for a minute, "That depends on your budget,"

I realized then that I didn't know how much money I was carrying, so I reached for my back pocket. I pulled out my wallet and looked inside, seeing only five yen. He saw my meager wages and took pity on me as my stomach let out the loudest growl ever growled. I swear that at least half the restaurant turned to stare at me.

"Hey, wait here, will you?" He asked, getting an idea and leaving me before I could answer.

He came back with the owner of the store, "So, I hear from Takeshi that you don't have enough money for a descent meal. Let's make a deal, shall we? I let you order whatever you want, but in exchange, you have to work it off later,"

I did not plan on staying this town this long but that offer was just too good to pass up, "Are you sure?"

He nodded, "Little lady, do I look like a man who is unsure?"

"No, you look very sure. Alright, it's a deal!" I shook his hand on it, being a woman of my word.

He nodded and went back to work, letting the cute waiter do his job. Yay me. What, he was really cute! Ok, maybe a little too cheerful for me, but still, he's an uber hottie.

"Thank you. I'm Yamamoto Akari by the way," I extended my hand out to him.

He took it and shook my hand, "Huh, small world. I'm Yamamoto Takeshi,"

I released his arm and smiled at him, "Don't tell me that you're an athlete too,"

"Baseball," He nodded, happy to met a fellow athlete.

"Gymnastics and dance," I shrugged.

His competitive side took over, "Weak,"

"Oh? I guess I forgot to mention my rock climbing and competitive boarding," I said it like it was no big deal.

He was impressed, but he was determined to win, "Please, I am not limited to baseball. I'm also on my school's volleyball team and I'm learning kendo,"

"I was on the pro beach volleyball team for three straight years," I said smugly.

"Ok, you're a good athlete, I'll give you that," He smiled at me again in defeat.

"Well, you sound pretty good yourself. I think because you're in school, that prohibits you," I said in an envious tone, having been home schooled my entire school life.

"You don't go to school?" He asked not curiously, but sympathetically.

"Yeah, I was raised as an athlete," I didn't like talking about my personal life, especially with strangers, even the cute ones.

He placed his hand over mine and beamed brightly at me, "You should go to school with me! I have great friends, and I think that you'll be kept busy by the games they think up,"

"Yeah?" I was half convinced.

"Yeah," He tried to convince me further.

I looked away, "I don't know, I would probably make a fool of myself,"

"Not at all. I'm not the smartest guy in the school, but I still get by," He encouraged me.

"Really? What if your friends don't like me?" I asked nervously, losing all the cool I had possessed.

"Why wouldn't they? You're a cool chick and I totally think you could keep up with us," He said as a compliment, not a sexist view on how men are stronger or better than women. which they're not.

"Yeah? Yeah, I think I could stay and give it a try," It's not like I had to leave right away, and there was something about him that I really liked.

"So, I suppose that you don't have a job?" The owner popped up out of nowhere.

I shook my head, "I'm a drifter,"

"Then I suppose you know how to work in a shop?" He said, having become very fond of the whole bargaining business since Reborn's dine-and-dash.

"Oh, I don't know...." I trailed off, knowing where this was going.

"Dad, she's a friend," The other Yamamoto said to the store owner.

Dad? Well, that changes things, "Um, since you were kind enough to offer and seeing as my choices are limited, I suppose I'll take you up on that offer as well,"

"Alright, since you'll be going to school with Takeshi, you two will have the same shifts and he can help you out," Takeshi's father said with his arms crossed sternly.

"Yes, sir!" I bowed from the neck down, the table preventing me form any more courtesy than that.

"Takeshi, take her to enroll in school, after her meal," He noticed I hadn't yet ordered, so he just grabbed a small bundle of food from the kitchen before departing and gave it to me.

Hottie waiter sat next to me as I stuffed my face. Hey, I couldn't help it! Not only was I starving, it was really good. He didn't seem to mind, so that helped. Once I was done, like four seconds later, he looked at me and offered me his hand, asking if I was ready to go. I nodded and swallowed the last bit of my lunch as he dragged me away to enroll in the school. Yay.


	2. Be My Boyfriend, part 2

So we did it. We enrolled me into Namimori middle school. Yep, I would start hell...I mean class...tomorrow, and not unluckily, I would be in all of Takeshi's classes, so that really helped steady my split nerves.

"Yamamoto-kun," A short brunette boy our age, who gave off a rather cowardly yet dependable vibe, ran up to Takeshi and I.

A guy who greatly resembled my ex-boyfriend/first love was following him. No, I mean, it looked exactly like him, even down to the shirt on his back and the brand of cigarette in his mouth. I even saw the ring I had given my ex-boyfriend for his birthday on his finger. The same finger my ex wore it on. No, it couldn't be my ex, because that heartless bastard who abandoned me without a single good reason was all the way back in Italy, probably breaking some other poor girl's heart, or just being the suicidal bomber douchebag that he was.

"Akari?" He asked in horrified shock once he was close enough to see me properly.

"Hayato?" I tried to reason every which way I could and could not that it was not him, even though it obviously was.

"You two know each other?" Takeshi asked us, clueless to dark and horrid atmosphere we were creating.

The air around us was not pleasant at all, but our faces and voices were pleasant enough and calm as I answered indolently, "You could say that,"

"It's none of your business, baseball nut," Gokudera's voice was dead as we spoke calmly to each other.

"You look well," I continued lethargically.

"Yeah, so do you, now that you're not covered in-"

"Hayato! Dammit, we've been through this, it was just a photo shoot!" I lost it and started screaming at him.

"Of course! And those guys were just models without the slightest affect on you at all?" He snapped back at me.

I slapped him, "You're a jerk! I hope you rot!"

He held his face for a second, and reached into his shirt for something. I thought it was going to be a stick of dynamite, but it was only another cigarette. I laughed mentally as I saw that the force of my slap had made him bite his first one in half.

The short nameless kid had put it all together, but he was the only one smart enough to. How hard was it to see that Hayato and I were a thing once and that our break-up occurred because of a photo shoot? How difficult was it to see the pain and love we still feel for each other, even after our split? Wasn't it obvious that we wanted to start making out if we didn't kill each other first? To me, it was plain as death, and I'm sure it was the same for Hayato. I mean, considering what we had, it would only be natural.

"I really hate atheletes," He mumbled as he lit his death stick.

So, I had left that much of an impression? I mean, he didn't really like them before, but it was more of an uninterested feeling than a flat-out I hate you all. I guess I changed that. Good, he would remember me that way. Wait, what the hell was I doing thinking things like this for? I was happy being single. I mean, I even found a guy to focus my free time on. I'm sure he too had moved on.

"So, Akari's going to school here starting tomorrow," Yamamoto said to change the subject.

"Great," Gokudera rolled his eyes.

I could hear Mr. Yet-to-be-named's thoughts as if he had spoken them out loud, _'Eeep! Another crazy one has joined our ranks!'_

"Oh, yeah, Akari, this is Sawada Tsuna," Yamamoto told me as he pointed him out to me.

"Hi," I said politely, ignoring Hayato.

"Yo," He raised his hand in a breif wave.

"Yamamoto!" One of the cheerleaders called out.

We both turned to look at her out of habit. I turned away quickly, realizing too late that no body here knew me by that name. To them, I was Akari, not Yamamoto. Well, whatever, it made no difference to me.

"So, um, Yamamoto, you were really good in the game yesterday," She blushed.

"Thanks!" He smiled at the compliment.

"So, uh, want to go out sometime?" She asked him, her confidence leeched by him.

He looked back at Tsuna, Hayato, and me, "Sorry, we can't right now. Maybe later?"

She looked at me for the first time and concluded heavy-heartedly that we were a thing, "Oh, never mind,"

She ran off home to cry. I looked at the other Yamamoto, wondering if he knew what she was really asking him. I doubted it. He's cute and super sweet, but he just isn't very bright. So unlike my asshole genius of an ex. Sure, he's the hottest guy ever, but he is such a jerk! Stupid Hayato.....

"Are you crying?" Tsuna asked me suddenly.

"Of course not!" I so was crying because all the good memories we had flooded me in a violent and unending storm, "I've just got sand in my eyes,"

"Sure," Hayato snided.

I glared at him and suddenly a brilliant idea crossed my mind, "Oh Yamamoto, can I have a quick word in private?"

They all looked at me, but if I didn't act now, I know that my chance would be lost forever, or at least for several months and by that time, it would probably be too late because I would be in the nightmarish and ever-dreaded friend-zone.

* * *

**Gokudera**

I followed the future 10th Vongola mob boss through the school grounds, hoping that we didn't bump into Hibari as we made our way around, looking for that damn baseball nut. Don't get me wrong, if we had to fight, I would so beat him, but still, it would be a close fight and the 10th might get drawn into the battle, and that was not a good thing. Not at all. Anyways, we found the baseball nut, walking and talking with a girl. A girl who looked familiar in an almost unpleasant way. I say almost unpleasant because the girl she reminded me of was my stunning, one-of-a-kind, talented, bitch of an ex-girlfriend. No, it couldn't be. Well, she was wearing the necklace I gave her for her birthday, but it wasn't her. It couldn't have been, she was off somewhere doing her spots stuff.

Her or not, I had to know, because the closer we got to her, the more it looked like her, "Akari?"

"Hayato?" She asked in austonished disbelief.

"You two know each other?" The baseball freak asked us, clueless to atmosphere between us.

I lost my patience with him and snapped, "It's none of your business, baseball nut,"

She played it cool in her dark way, "You could say that," then she turned to me, "You look well,"

"Yeah, so do you, now that you're not covered in-"

"Hayato! Dammit, we've been through this, it was just a photo shoot!" She lost it and started screaming at me, though I really didn't blame her.

"Oh, yeah. Of course! And those guys were just models without the slightest affect on you at all?" I asked resentfully.

She slapped me across the face, "You're a jerk! I hope you rot!"

I held my face where her hand had struck, thinking about my next move. I didn't want to hurt her, so I ruled out my dynamite. I loved that woman, but god did she piss me off, so I felt that I would return the favor to that heartbreaking bitch. I came to that conclusion as I reached into my shirt for another cigarette, because the force of her hit had caused me to bite my cigarette in half.

"I really hate athletes," I grumbled as I lit my cancer stick.

"So, Akari's going to school here starting tomorrow," Yamamoto said to change the subject.

"Great," I rolled my grey eyes.

"Oh, yeah, Akari, this is Sawada Tsuna," Yamamoto told her as he pointed him out to her.

"Hi," She siad politely, clearly doing her best to ignore me.

"Yo," He raised his hand in a brief wave.

"Yamamoto!" One of the cheerleaders called out, causing both the baseball lunatic and Akari to turn around.

"So, um, Yamamoto, you were really good in the game yesterday," She blushed.

"Thanks!" He smiled at the compliment.

"So, uh, want to go out sometime?" She asked him, her confidence sapped by him.

He looked back at us, "Sorry, we can't right now. Maybe later?"

She looked at Akari for the first time, "Oh, never mind,"

Like I said before, stupid jocks.

"Are you crying?" Tsuna asked Akari suddenly.

"Of course not!" She rubbed her eyes, "I've just got sand in my eyes,"

"Sure," I knew she was crying because of how much she missed me.

She glared at me, "Oh Yamamoto, can I have a quick word in private?"

We all looked at her, wondering what she was planning. Well, knowing her, it wasn't very good or thought-out. Like I keep saying, athletes are morons, and she alone is the perfect example of that.


	3. Be My Boyfriend, part 3

"Sure," Yamamoto Takeshi was taken aback to say the least, but he could not refuse such a simple request as having a private word.

"Herbivores, prepare to be bitten to death!" A scary-looking guy with two tonfas who just exuded an aura of pure and unbridled evil slithered out of nowhere, before I could led Takeshi away, and made all of us jump out of our skin.

"Hibari!" The ones who knew him all shouted in vocies that said that they were about to meet their maker.

In a panicked state, we all ran off in different directions. Well, Tsuna and Gokudera scattered into the wind, but Takeshi and I were still together as we ran for cover. I didn't really know why, but I too was scared for my life, even though I really had few reasons to be scared of that Hibari guy.

"Did we lose him?" He asked me, looking over his shoulder as we flew sharply into an ally wall, barely missing an overflowing garbage bin.

I not only thudded into the wall but into him as well from the impact of of my bounce into the wall. He held me steady in his arms and I blushed at our closeness. Suddenly, he leaned closer, pressing me into the wall. He whispered into my ear to be quiet, that he thought he saw Hibari, and I gulped in response with an otherwise silent nod. Just as suddenly as he pressed into me, he was backing away, but he stopped only kilometers away from my body.

"So, what did you want?" He asked, clueless as always to the scene he was a part of.

I didn't answer, I just acted on impulse. Because he was taller than me, I got on my tip-toes so we were about the same height, and I wrapped my arms around his neck. In that same instant, I closed my eyes and kissed him on the lips. If I was watching, I probably would have thought the moment was disgustingly sweet. If I was watching I also would have seen the lack of surprise on his face as he wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed me back. Who knew he had it in him?

I backed away blinking, "Be my boyfriend?"

He smiled at me, "You seem like my type of girl, sporty and kind, and you're a spectacular kisser,"

I blushed, "Thanks. So is that a yes?"

"Of course!" He smiled at me, "So, should we go back?"

I wrinkled my nose, "You mean back with that jerk?"

He tilted his head at me, "You don't like Tsuna?"

I laughed hollowly, "No, that's not it! Tsuna seems alright. I mean Gokudera,"

"Nah, he's not so bad. You just have to get used to him," He smiled encourageingly again.

I scrunched my entire face so to any passersby it would look like I had consumed something very sour, "Fine, but if my mean side comes out, please don't think badly of me,"

"You could never have a bad side," He smiled at me and grabbed my hand from my side and held it.

I scoffed and mumbled under my breath, "I know some people who would disagree,"

He either didn't hear me or merely pretended not to hear me, but he was speechless as he led me someplace I'd never been to before. I just hoped it wasn't to Gokudera's. I would honestly be fine with any other place, seriously, but the thought of being in Hayato's home made my skin crawl. Been there, done that. You know what I mean? If you don't, I will tell you what I mean. I lived with him for a majority of our relationship, and when we broke up, even though it was my apartment, I left it all to him, and I do mean all of it.

"We're going to Tsuna's," He finally explained to me as we came to a well-to-do home in an alright neighborhood.

"He has a nice home," I commented as I saw Tsuna himself exiting the house with Gokudera behind him.

Yamamoto nodded cheerfully, "Yeah,"

"Oh, Yamamoto-kun, Akari-san," Tsuna said as if he was expecting us.

Now, just to straighten out some facts before we continue this story, while we dated, Hayato tried to hide the fact that he was in the mafia, or was at least trying to be, but finally he told me the truth. I believed him from the first sentence of his story, which I knew minute detail by minute detail, anyways, the point is, I knew about his activities, but never once would he let me try to help him. It was a bit of pride, I'm not going to lie, but mostly it was for my own protection. OK, I just wanted to make that clear, so we can continue now!

"Yo Tsuna, sorry we got sepperated like that," Yamamoto shrugged happily.

"It's alright. The mood Hibari was in, it was our only choice," Tsuna whimpered, afraid that Hibari would jump from some random place at some random time to finish the job.

I rolled my eyes at his cowardice. That caught Gokudera's attention. No, not me holding Yamamoto's hand, me rolling my eyes at Tsuna. I swear that boy has mixed priorities. Well, I need not think about him anymore, because I have moved on. I mean, I would have ended up like this with Yamamoto without Hayato's presence, but he sped the process along. Bah, why am I explaining myself? I have nothing to explain, because everything is perfectly clear!

"What the hell is you're problem?" Hayato snapped, jumping forward twenty feet to stop the inevitable death-brawl between Tsuna and myself.

"Calm down," Takeshi came to my aide.

"Tsk, this isn't your business," He glowered at Yamamoto.

I stepped in at this point and was ready to start fighting with my bare hands, "Yes it is! My business is his business, so shut up!"

He finally noticed that I was holding hands with his....Comrade? Enemy? What the hell were those two exactly? Erm, let's go with whatever fits the setting, shall we? So here, I think enemy is the proper term. He finally noticed that I was holding hands with his enemy, and that set him off.

"You and baseball nut?" He laughed, grabbing his side.

I glared at him, "What's so funny about it?"

He tried to stop laughing but just couldn't ,"That has got to be the worst possible plan to make me jealous! I mean, so you both like sports, big fucking deal! What else is there that you two have in common? I mean, this is just so fake, it's hysterical!"

"Uh, Gokudera-kun, I don't think they're faking," Tsuna at least had the good sense to see the truth.

"What else you ask? Well, besides the fact that we have the same name, same racial background, and same taste in cuisine, we both are highly competitive, we know when not to cross the line with each other, and there is a physical attraction," I said, hoping I wasn't speaking out of turn.

I wasn't, because he seconded me, "And we have the same part-time job,"

"Oho, when can I expect my wedding invitation?" Hayato asked sarcastically.

That was crossing the line in one of the worst ways. He realized that too, but just a tad too late. He and I were engaged once, yeah, we loved each other that much, but that dream ended when we did, and now, I refused the idea of marriage. We both knew my...issues with marriage and now we both waited with bated breaths to see my reaction.

"Akari, I'm....I'm sorry," He mumble weakly, his knees looking weaker than his voice.

I stood more still than a statue as my emotions were being processed. We both expected a negative reaction, but I surprised us both by smiling brightly as if nothing bad had just been said. Even though I could not see my face, I knew that I was horribly frightening, more frightening than if I had reacted badly.

"Oh, Hayato-kun, think nothing of it! I'm sure you were just caught of guard, so you acted out of character," I beamed eerily, viewing the moment in an out-of-body experience.

"Akari?" That was all anyone could say, even those who did not understand the circumstances that caused my flip.

"Huh?" I asked in a way that made it seem like I had no idea that I was acting strangely.

"Hey, Akari, what is it?" Tsuna was worried about me.

Yamamoto held my should with his free hand and whispered in my hair, "Are you alright?"

I looked back at him and reverted back to my normal and not creepy self, "Yeah, sorry about that, I'm just tired...or something,"

"Oh yeah, I forgot that it's my turn to cook dinner tonight!" Yamamoto released me from his grip.

I swayed but I caught myself before anyone could worry any more about me, "Alright, I'll see you tomorrow in class,"

He nodded at me and ran of after waving to his friends. Tsuna looked at the setting sun, thinking aloud that it was time for us to leave. Gokudera and I nodded and walked off in the same direction.


	4. A Place to Live, part 1

After leaving Tsuna's, Gokudera and I walked side-by-side, almost shoulder-to-shoulder in the depressingly vacant streets. At first we were silent, merely giving each other icy 'drop-dead' glances and huffy 'I'm-going-to-kill-you' stares. But of course he had to ruin that like everything else. Damn jackass, I hope his hair falls out.

"Are you really going out with _that_?" He asked reluctantly, refusing to use his name.

I stopped our ambling pace and looked at him, "Does that bother you?"

"As if I give a rat's ass for what you do," He stopped and stared back at me, a vague trace of something unreadable mingled with unfathomable anger in his face.

"You're so jealous," I poked him accusingly in the chest, right over the black hole that should have been his heart.

He scoffed at me arrogently, "You wish,"

"Yeah, I do wish.... That we never met that is," I started walking again, ignoring him and his face so I wouldn't give away my cruel bluff.

He walked next to me, looking all hurt like I had trudged up his tragic past with a smile on my face, not seeing the pain on my face that felt so obvious to me,"Really?"

No, of course not! I wondered bitterly if he thought I was such a monster. If I had only one single wish, it would be that....No, I can't go down that path....Well, I would never wish that we had never met, no matter how bad my bleeding heart ached and I cried for death's sweet haven. I loved Hayato, and a part of me always would. I mean, we had so much history between us...first love, first boyfriend, first kiss, first time, and first engagement. You just can't replace that, no matter much you try.

But he couldn't know that I felt that way, so I changed the subject, "Does it escape you that I have a boyfriend?"

"Oh yeah, like that stopped you before," He picked up his...cold and distant demeanor again.

"It does stop me, not that you believe me. Not that it's your business anymore, but the only guy I've ever made love with is you, and you know I'm not the type to fuck," I told him unblushingly.

It is true, I am the type who believes that sex/one-night stands/fucking is impossible for love. Love is making love, or something intimate like that that should be between two who are close in mind and heart. Or something like that. Even if Gokudera did accuse me of cheating, he knows that I would never do anything with a stranger or someone I did not know very well.

"I'll give you that, but only becuase you were too busy traveling to get close to anyone," He agreed dryly, as if he were choking on sandpaper .

"I wonder why that is? Oh, wait, I know why. It's because _you _broke up me. Why would I want to set myself up like that? Especially when...." I suddenly stopped talking, realizing that I was about to give away too much.

"Especially when what?" He pressed me, curious as to what I had to say.

I shook my head furiously fast, refusing to tell him, "Why am I always on trial?! What about you, huh?"

"Tsk, you want to know what I did after our split? I grieved and pondered and regretted it. Finally, I got my shit together and set all my attention on my goal of joining the mafia," He told me bitingly, like a man without tear ducts who was about to cry.

"What, for two hours?" I speculated harshly.

"Six months," He corrected me scathingly.

Ok, that made me feel like an asshole, "Ok, I'm sorry-"

"And you should be," He cut in.

I ignored his interference, "But I felt horrible for a lot longer than that,"

"That was only when I was able to move again. Do you really think I'm such horrible a person that I was over you just like that?" He stopped walking again and held me in place with the look on his face, "You really are stupid sometimes,"

Much as I wanted to disagree, I couldn't, "So you keep reminding me. So you were hurt too. Why didn't you do anything about it?"

He sighed and looked at me sideways, "I did,"

"Oh," I knew he meant that he had sex with other girls since our split, but they were nothing but one-nighters, "So, have you been in any serious relationships?"

"Do you really want to know?" He raised his eyebrows at me and got a new cigarette becuase his last one had been smoked out.

"I guess not," I grew quiet.

* * *

****

Gokudera:

After leaving Tsuna's, Akari and I walked side-by-side. At first we were silent, merely giving each other heated 'drop-dead' glances and huffy 'I'm-going-to-kill-you' stares. But of course that wasn't good enough for me.

"Are you really going out with _that_?" I asked reluctantly, the idea burning a sickening hole into me.

She stopped and looked at me, "Does that bother you?"

"As if I give a rat's ass for what you do," I stopped and stared back at her, a vague trace of pain, jealousy, desire, and longing mingled with unfathomable anger in my face.

"You're so jealous," She poked me accusingly in the chest.

I scoffed airily, "You wish,"

"Yeah, I do wish.... That we never met that is," She started walking again, but with rushed speed.

I walked next to her, looking at her like our break up and my past had been stapled together into one, "Really?"

I hoped not, because I loved her with all my heart. I know it is stupid, but because of our past, I was holding out hope that we would get back together. I really missed her and I wanted her back not only in my arms, but my bed too. Yuck, thank god no one could read my mind and all the out-of-character and gross mushy stuff running through it right now.

"Does it escape you that I have a boyfriend?" She changed the subject a little too quickly.

"Oh yeah, like that stopped you before," I knew that wasn't the case like I keep insisting, but I am just too proud to admit the truth, even to myself in my own mind.

"It does stop me, not that you believe me. Not that it's your business anymore, but the only guy I've ever made love with is you, and you know I'm not the type to fuck," She told me frankly.

It is true. One of the things that I really love about Akari is the pureness she possesses. Ok, it was a bit annoying when we were dating, because even though I'm not that kind of guy I am still a guy, and I always wanted her in that way, she took her time before we even got remotely close to that.

"I'll give you that, but only becuase you were too busy traveling to get close to anyone," I agreed, bitter at my wait time, yet glad as hell to know that.

"I wonder why that is? Oh, wait, I know why. It's because _you _broke up me. Why would I want to set myself up like that? Especially when...." She suddenly shut up, meaning that she was about to say something good.

"Especially when what?" I pressed her, curious as to what she was about to say.

She shook my head stubbornly, refusing to tell me, "Why am I always on trial?! What about you, huh?"

"Tsk, you want to know what I did after our split? I grieved and pondered and regretted it. Finally, I got my shit together and set all my attention on my goal of joining the mafia," I told her, holding back all the emotions and memories of that time that still burned like a fresh scar that would never fully heal, if it even started to at all.

"What, for two hours?" She speculated incorrectly.

"Six months," I corrected her scathingly.

Ok, I bet that made her feel like an asshole, "Ok, I'm sorry-"

"And you should be," I cut in.

She acted as if I had not interrupted her, "But I felt horrible for a lot longer than that,"

"That was only when I was able to move again. Do you really think I'm such horrible a person that I was over you just like that?" I stopped walking again and held her in place with the look on my face, "You really are stupid sometimes,"

She couldn't disagree with me, no matter how much she wanted to, "So you keep reminding me. So you were hurt too. Why didn't you do anything about it?"

I sighed, not wanting to lie to her like this, but I had to act strong like the man that I am, "I did,"

"Oh," She frowned, knowing what I was implying, "So, have you been in any serious relationships?"

"Do you really want to know?" I raised my eyebrows at her, unsure if I could keep the lie up, and got a new cigarette because my last one had been smoked out.

"I guess not," She grew quiet, a first for her.


	5. A Place to Live, part 2

I looked at Gokudera quietly for several seconds that past achingly slow, his revelation of having been with other girls upsetting me. Why should I care though? I had Takeshi now. Maybe, just maybe, I will always have a hole in my heart that cares for my ex as if we had never left each other. God I hoped that wasn't the case, but whatever the reason was, I was going to tell no one about it.

"Uh, Akari, do you have a place to crash?" He asked me, clearly not wanting to have to bring up something like that, considering our relationship.

"Not really, no. I suppose I could go apartment hunting," I mean bench hunting, because I would rather be a hobo than stay with him ever again, even for a single night.

He rolled his eyes at me, "You can't at this late hour. Here, you should stay here for the night,"

"Ha, you're funny," I mock laughed, wanting anything but that.

"Why does that bother you? We've moved on, so why should it matter if you stay with me for a night or two?" He asked casually, raising a perfectly normal point.

I had no good reason to object to that logic and he knew it, the jerk, "Fine, but just for now,"

I had the suspicion that if I did refuse, he would follow me and make sleep impossible for me. Yes, I foresaw him following me every night with his dynamite ready to blow up the area I was trying to sleep in. I'd be so harassed, no one would take me in, so I'd have to live with him. Yep, I bet he had it all planed out. I smacked myself mentally, what the hell was I thinking? God, I need help, in a big way. Well, the fact that I realized my thoughts were wrong is enough, so no help is needed here.

"Of course, of course," He nodded, opening the door we had stopped at earlier, which I only just now noticed that we stopped in front of a building.

The building was nice. It was made of white sandstone and alabaster with stained-glass windows and an ornate blue steel door with a dulled silver handle. Ok, it was really in contrast with the entire neighborhood, but that only added to its splendor. The house reminded me of our old place.

"I had it built exactly the same, more or less," He read my mind and explained as he stepped inside.

I followed him lazily, glancing around at the home I remembered. Next to the front door was the living room, decked out in grand, dark, and mismatched furniture. The lights were all on the ceiling, with white bulbs used. A medium T.V. was in one corner of the room, a solid navy couch pushed in front of it. A small bookcase crammed with various books and a ficus was behind the couch. Smoky purple curtains scattered with yellow stars and blue moons and orange suns were hung in front of the windows, but they were kept open to let the color infused light form the stained glass windows play with and transform the room in bright brilliance. A hallway right in front of the front door was littered with flaps that matched the curtains, some of which were real rooms and some of which hung over the walls posing as rooms. A row of knick-knacks was enshelved against the back wall. The faux marble floor glittered in the setting sun cast from the open door and the bare black wall stood as imposing before me as ever. I knew all of this not because I was looking, but from my memory, though in the scant lighting, I could tell my memory was accurate.

"So, how does it feel to be home?" He asked me in Italian.

I smiled at him, our current circumstances forgotten temporarily in the joy of being back, "Marvelous. It feels as if nothing has changed at all,"

"You're Italian is as horrible as ever," He teased, even though my Italian was perfect.

I shrugged and continued in Italian, "Well, I haven't had to use it in a long time now,"

He closed the door behind me as I flicked the lights on with the switch on the other side of the door, "Home, it feels like that now,"

I pretended not to hear that, "So, I suppose you want me to sleep with you too?"

He grinned, "Well, I wouldn't object, but there is a guest room,"

"Hm," I mumbled softly.

"You sound disappointed," He accused me.

I quickly snapped back to the current, "Christ no! I was just-"

"Dazed and happy to be back home?" He offered.

I nodded, "Yeah, that,"

"You know, this place is big enough for the both of us, so if you want to, I guess I could let you stay here," He scratched his chin and looked away from me.

I laughed for no reason, "I wonder what everyone will say if they find out?"

"They'll call you names and gossip that you're two-timing, among other things," He answered like it was something major or life-threatening.

"Well, we just won't let anyone find out then," I smiled at him and walked to where the kitchen should be.

He followed me, "So, you're living with me again. I suppose that we should set up some ground rules,"

"Alright, since I get to live here for free," I started poking around in the cabinets for some instant ramen.

He went to the cubbard next to me and grabbed two ramen, tossing one to me, "Don't bring your boytoy over and screw him all over the house. That's what your room is for,"

"I thought rooms were for sleeping?" I put my finger to my lip in mock thought.

"Harhar. Seriously, I won't tolerate you two going at it under my roof,"

I started making my ramen, "Fair enough,"

I sat on the counter while I waited for the noodles to cook. He leaned next to me, staring up blankly at the ceiling. Knowing him, there were things he wanted to say, but was stopped for some reason or other. Well, I would hear him out, no matter what he had to say. I just can't promise that I would respond in a favorable way.

"So, you're going to school with us, right?" He asked out of nowhere, tapping the top of his ramen at random places in a catchy yet obnoxious tune.

I grabbed his wrist, "For the love of all that is, stop! Jesus, I forgot how irritating you were when you had something you couldn't ask me,"

"You didn't answer my question," He snatched his wrist away and held it away from me.

I sighed, knowing if I wanted to know what he had to ask but couldn't, I'd have to answer his questions and indulge him, "Yeah, I start tomorrow, why?"

"I was just wondering, because-"

The microwave beeped and I hurried to get my scolding hot food. He went to the drawer next to the refrigerator and pulled out a set of chopsticks in one hand and a fork in another. I quickly grabbed the fork, leaving him with the chopsticks. Or not, because I watched him put the chopsticks back and grab another fork. Cheater. He set the fork on the counter and set his ramen in the microwave to cook it. He looked back at me eating and started the microwave.

"Let me see if I'm right here, you're Japanese, yes? And yet you don't use the chopsticks or wait for me or anything," He sat on the counter next to me.

I blew on my food before taking a bite, "So sue me. I grew up traveling and my mother was too busy training me to teach me proper Japanese etiquette,"

"And she also skipped over manners too I see," He said, referring my mouth overflowing with noodles.

I swallowed the lump of tasty string in my face cave and glared at him, "No, she didn't. So what were you saying earlier?"

"Oh, yeah. Well, I was wondering because I wanted to know if you're going to be in all my classes or not," He said it in such a way, I wasn't sure if he meant that or not as his purpose for asking.

"I'm in all of Yamamoto's classes," I shrugged, slurping up more ramen.

"Hmm," He thought about something, and I wanted to know what it was.

"What do you really want to know?" I asked, setting my half empty bowl down and wrapping my arms around my knees.

He looked at me, knowing it was safe to proceed, but still unwilling to do so, "I know it's none of my business, but your boyfriend, I wonder how serious you are about him?"

I chuckled, "Is that all? Please, that's ok to ask about. I really like him. I mean, he's cute and kind and sporty. True, he's too cheerful, but there is something about him that just calls to me,"

"I don't want you to get hurt again," He frowned at me in a painful and heart-wrenching way.

I crossed my legs and looked at him, "What? Is there something to make you think he would hurt me?"

He shook his head, "No, it's just that....Never mind. You should be fine with him, so fine in fact, I think you just may change your mind about marriage,"

"Oh....I thought you didn't like him?" That was all I could say.

"I don't, but he's probably one of the best guys on the planet, so I know that you will be taken care of and will never have to cry," It was one of those 'I-don't-like-saying-this-but-I-have-to-tell-you' kind of moments.

"That's good to know. Anyone would be happy to have that. But, what about you?" I asked, stunned at what the conversation we were having and barely feeling a part of it.

"Me? I'll live my dream and be the Juudaime's right-hand," He answered like he didn't expect me to ask that.

"I know that already. I mean what about your love life. You plan on being alone, don't you?" I put it together myself.

He looked at me for a second, "Hey, the business I'm in, not too many women would fit in,"

"Isn't Takeshi in the family too?" I asked, not really sure if he was or not.

"Yeah, he is, but you can fit in this life, unlike all of them," He smiled at me.

"So, you already have your mind made up, huh? I remember a time when I did," I thought about what I had forbidden myself to think of, "I'm tired, goodnight,"

"The spare room is next to the bathroom," He told me as the microwave beeped his dinner done.

"Thanks," I left the kitchen without looking at him and flung myself on the bed of the spare room, less than a zombie.

I wanted to cry, because I was stupid and revisited the memory I swore never to think of again. It was one of my happiest memories, and yet one of my saddest. It started just days before our split, and it ended when I left not only Italy and my house behind, but my life, career, and Gokudera behind. I remember it in perfect detail, the days I lost everything I loved.


	6. The Next Day, part 1

I woke up the next morning, my eyes red and puffy, like I had either spent the entire night crying rather than sleeping or I had been severely beaten. I think we all know that Gokudera would never beat a woman, unless it was in a fight for the Vongola and he had no other choice. I groaned into the pillow and reached into my Gothic Marry Poppins bag, which was really cute with it's silver spiderwebs and one shoulder strap, and pulled out my white make-up bag, my uniform, my purple stockings, and my baby pink underwear. I flung myself out of bed and head for the bathroom.

I reached the doorway, ready to open the flap, but I was beaten to the punch from the other side, "Hayato,"

He looked at me, "You sure are up early,"

"I could say the same about you," I really wished my underwear wasn't showing.

Like my defeatist mind told me, he noticed fancies. Why couldn't I have just showered then went into my room to change? Because I didn't want my towel falling off in front of my roommate. Why couldn't I have owned a single pair of non-lingerie type underwear? Because I'm a freak and have to get the cute stuff. Why couldn't I have hidden my underwear on the bottom to avoid this? Because I was half asleep when I got my stuff out. Why couldn't I have just taken my whole bag with me? Because I'm stupid, that's why. Any way you spin it, fate doomed me to this moment.

"Still wearing that stuff?" He asked, pulling my bra from the pile in my arms.

I wanted to take it back, but the way everything was situated, a worse situation would have been created, "It goes great with your eyes,"

"Wait a minute, isn't this the same bra you wore our first time?" He took a good look at it again.

I blushed, because it was, "What does it matter?"

"Nice. You plan on seducing him this early in the game?" He didn't give me my bra back yet.

"No, this is my lucky bra," I mumbled, looking the other way.

He held his hand to his heart, my bra dangling helplessly along for the ride, "I don't know what gets me more, the fact that you have a lucky bra or the fact that you consider the bra you wore when we first made love your lucky bra,"

Cover, quick, I need cover, "Why do you even remember what bra I was wearing?"

He thought about it for a few, "Because I remember everything about that night,"

Typical, "Leave it to you. So, may I have my bra back please?"

I held out my hand for it. Instead of the simple thing to do, he decided to put it back in my arms himself. That would have been fine, if his towel was more secure. But it wasn't. so it came untied and fell to the floor. He looked at me for a second then grabbed the fallen material and retied it around his waist.

It was then, when his towel flew off, that I realized just how good he looked. He looked his best when wet, at least I thought so, and now was no exception. His body was...more toned. Everything about him was better, and I do mean everything. He was taller now too.

"See something you like?" He asked once he was sure his cover wouldn't come off again.

As soon as he asked that, I was over my thoughts of him, "Even if I did, I wouldn't act on it,"

"Hmph, I-"

The phone rang, cutting him off. I waved at him as walked off to the living room to answer it. I hurried into the bathroom, threw my stuff on the counter top, and jumped into the shower fully clothed. I closed the shower door and removed my clothes, throwing them over the top of the door. I hoped to god he had the good sense to know not to walk in on me right now.

"Yes, the bra works again!" I smiled because he didn't walk in on me like I feared he would as I pulled my skirt on, finishing my dressing process.

"Akari?" He called form the other side of the flap.

I gave my make-up a quick glance and walked out of the bathroom with my stuff in my arms, "What?"

"After school, we have to go to Namimori Shrine with the others," He told me, repeating his instructions.

"Says who?" I asked, merely tossing my stuff into my room without looking.

"Reborn-san," He told me, leading me to the kitchen for breakfast.

I just sat on the counter as he made us both a quick bowel of cold cereal, "Who's that?"

He sighed and told me between bites, "Reborn-san is a revered member of the mafia, and is currently the Juudaime's home tutor. They say he's an Arcobaleno,"

"A rainbow?" I asked after finishing my second monster-sized bite.

"They're cursed infants, and are the strongest of the strong, but not much else is known," He stared into my eyes in such a way, I knew that he was telling me the truth.

"Wow," I said, finishing my breakfast.

He nodded, taking my empty bowel from me and washing it, "Here, you head out now and I'll join you,"

He didn't need to tell me twice. I bolted off from the house after zipping on my boots, the only reason for my speed is that I hated cleaning. Almost instantly, I ran into Yamamoto. I really do love this bra.

"Akari," He waved and jogged over to me.

I smiled at him, "Morning!"

"You excited for your first day?" He asked, leading me to the school, again holding my hand.

"Yeah, I'm really nervous, but I feel allot better knowing that you'll be by my side," I blushed.

"I'll do my best," He nodded.

Not five seconds after he said that to me, Hayato rounded the corner and ran up to us, walking next to me, "Morning,"

"Yes, it is," I smiled at my boyfriend and rested my head on his arm.

We walked a little bit further, then we were joined by Tsuna and an infant in a suit who I assumed was Reborn. A little chameleon was perched atop of the infant's fedora.

"Juudaime!" Gokudera beamed at his boss.

Tsuna nodded at all of us, "Yamamoto, Gokudera-kun, Akari-san,"

I smiled at him, "Morning Tsuna. And who is this?"

"Caiossu," He nodded at me, "I am Reborn, Tsuna's home tutor,"

I nodded back at him, "Yamamoto Akari, pleased to meet you, Reborn-sama,"

"These trails just got more interesting," Reborn said to himself.

"Tr..trails?" Tsuna looked at his tutor in panic, "But why is Kyoko going too?"

Reborn smacked him upside the head, "The girls are necessary. All of your guardians are going to be here, except for Hibari, but he'll be undertaking different training,"

So everyone, who ever all that may be, was going to be there, even the non-fighters. I didn't really understand what was going on, but whatever. This means that they accept me as one of their own, so that's all that matters.

* * *

Sorry it's been so long since I last posted!!! I've had this chapter written out and just siting here, waiting to be edited. Please forgive me!!!!


	7. The Trial, day 1, part 1

After class, which was a hell of a lot harder than I expected it to be, Yamamoto, Gokudera, Tsuna, and I, joined by Sasagawa Kyoko and Miura Haru, arrived at the destined shrine. Reborn, Sasagawa Ryohei, and a dark-haired girl with one eye stood at the very top, waiting for us to arrive.

"Boss!" The girl exclaimed respectfully.

"Thank you to everyone for showing up for today's game," Reborn used Yamamoto's term for their activities, "Today will be be a team challenge."

I noticed that Tsuna smiled doofily at Kyoko, so I asked, "How will the teams be divided?"

He smirked, glad someone had inquired, "It will be teams of two, picked by me. Tsuna, you and Chrome, Yamamoto and Kyoko, Ryohei and Haru, and Gokudera and Akari."

Gokudera and I stared at each other in horror, "Huh?"

"Reborn-san I can't be on a team with her!" Gokudera pointed wildly at me.

I would have been very cross with him, did I not agree, "Why can't Yamamoto and I be on a team?"

Reborn shook his head, "This is to build up bonds between the entire family."

I wanted to tell them that I already had enough of a bond with Gokudera, but I couldn't. I could tell by the distortion on his face that he was in the same position as me on this one. I wondered why though? I know that for me it would probably hurt Yamamoto and it would raise a bunch of painful and unwanted questions. But what would it do to him? Hmm, I wonder.

"Now for the rules: no switching sides, helping the other teams, or killing the competition! Aside from that, there are no rules," Reborn ignored Tsuna's objection, "And the game itself is to complete all the objects on the list together by the end of the week."

"A week?" Haru asked.

Reborn's eyes glittered mischievously, "To better understand each other."

I looked at Gokudera uncertainly, "Something tells me this isn't going to end well."

He shook his head and took the list as Reborn passed them all out. I looked at the list in his hand, curious as to what we would have to do.

**Reborn's Agenda:**

1. Get to know your teammate.

2. Spend time with your teammate.

3. Learn to trust each other as if your life depends on it.

4. Dress as your teammate for a day.

5. Save a life.

6. Vongola stick together.

7. Prove it.

"Seriously? This is EXTREME!!!!" Ryohei, who I was introduced to at school with his sister Kyoko, shouted.

I looked at Gokudera and laughed as I imagined him in my clothes. He shook his head, dreading what I would make him wear. Payback is so sweet when its random.

"Well, at least we don't have to go a date with our partners," Haru looked at Tsuna as she she that.

Reborn smirked, "Actually, that's part of day one."

"Huh?!" We all exclaimed at once.

Reborn's smirk widened, "Each day is a challenge."

I knew immediately that there would be no arguing with the infant, so I just sighed in defeat and was resigned to hasten this week as quickly as I could, "Where?"

Gokudera and Yamamoto both looked at me in surprise. The not-very-bright-but-lucky-he-is-pretty Yamamoto assumed by my words alone that I was excited about dating his friend. I say friend because to him, they obviously were. The scientific-minded-science-fiction-nerd could tell by my tone that this was one of the worst possible events in mankind.

"Akari, this is very unexpected. I thought you hated Gokudera?" Reborn smiled at me with his puppy-dog eyes in full overdrive.

I smiled over my back at him, "I do," I turned back to face the Arcobaleno, "But I want to work hard so this can end so I can spend more time with my boyfriend."

"Akari," Yamamoto smiled at me, releived to hear what my heart had to say.

At the restaurant, a typical place any average teenage boy would take any average teenage girl to on a date, I sat across from Gokudera uncomfortably, reminded of our first date. True, the restaurant was nicer, but the atmoshere was less relaxed. Back then, we were both immensely shy and in love, so talking was impossible. Now, though we could speak in full sentences, we couldn't loosen up and enjoy ourselves like we did back then.

"Well, at least we have the first two days or so in the bag," Gokudera said, trying to ease the tension.

"Yeah. Dammit, why was this easier last night?" I demanded, slapping my hand on the table.

He shrugged, "Because it was just two people talking."

"This is a date, and by far the worst w-" I caught myself before saying ''we've'', "I've ever been on."

"We used to have fun as a couple, didn't we?" He laughed, "Remember that time in the woods?"

I joined in his laughter, "When I thought that becuase it was summer in a dry place that I'd be safe from the rain, so wore shorts?"

"The taxi broke down after we got soaked so we had to find shelter-"

"Only because you gave me your shirt to keep me from dying of hypothermia-"

"We found that old barn, remember?"

"Yeah, we kissed for the first time."

"I probably would have done more if the owner hadn't shown up and scared the crap out of you-"

"Me? It was both of us. Besides, what else would you have done? It was me who kissed you, remember?" I called him out.

"I was innocent," He protested.

"Not for much longer after that," I laughed, even though a small part of me felt like crying.

"Do you regret that..." He stopped talking, most likely to see how I'd react.

"What? Tell me what you were going to say," I insisted, always eager to hear him out.

"That your first time was with me?" He looked uncomfortable, but glad to have gotten it out there.

I looked down, not wanting to see his face, "I could not have picked a better, more considerate lover. You may be the biggest asshole alive, but you know how to treat your partner."

"I didn't ask how I was, I asked if you regret that I was your first," He reacted just how I knew he would.

I hoped he would have just taken it without question, because I hated having to delve deep inside myself, "I don't regret losing my virginity to the person I loved most."

"If you loved me so much, why did things end up like this?" He couldn't help but ask.

I felt my heart begin to tear itself up, "Don't ask me that."

"Why? Because Yamamoto?" He waved the name away.

I grabbed the edge of the table, "Because it hurts too much."

"You're not the only one to feels pain you know," He informed me not unkindly.

I knew he wouldn't let me run anymore, the bastard, "I never cheated, I was just doing what I was told. In fact, I was waiting to get back to you, because I had something to tell you."

"Had to tell me?" He caught my use of past tense.

I nodded, "I was going to tell you later that night, but your surprised me at work and got the wrong idea."

_"What are you doing here?" I asked, surprised to see the man I had just been thinking about._

_He stare at me in horror, revolted that I could talk so casually, "You're covered from head-to-toe in a half-baked cake, fucking a group of men and you have the nerve to ask me what I'm doing?!"_

_I looked at myself, utterly unawares of what I was doing besides a photo shoot for my team calendar, "What are you talking about?"_

_He pointed at me, "Ask me that again when your not topless in some guy's arms."_

_I looked down and noticed that he was right. My top had fallen off at some time during the shoot, but I was too busy thinking of my future to notice._

_"Hay-"_

_"Don't. Don't ever say my name again, you tart," He stormed off the set._

_I climbed out of the kiddy pool and followed after him, ignoring everyone as I grabbed at towel and chased after my fiancee. I lost sight of him as I ran out of the studio and my whip cream-coated hair plastered itself to my face._

_"Gokudera! Please come back!" I shouted just before seeing him pause and white goop obscure my vision._

_After quitting and changing, I went home to talk it out with my lover. He had to hear me out, to know that I was completely innocent of whatever he thought had occurred. I arrived home, it was clear that he would not hear me out._

_I opened the front door to see some of my things packed and waiting for me. Gokudera had refused to reason, and I knew that becuase he had thrown his ring at me as soon as I stood foot inside my place._

_"I never want to see your face again, you harlot!" He pointed at the door._

_I took a step closer, tears streaming freely down my face, "What? How can you be so cruel to me? I love you!"_

_"You sure have a funny way of showing it," He pointed again at the door, "Leave or there'll be trouble."  
"This is my house," I reminded him._

_"I'm warning you!"_

_"Honey-"_

_He puhed me back, gently with little force, but I tripped over my suitcase. I flew out the open door, down a two flights of stairs, I was a light thing, and stopped at the door. He didn't see or care to. Instead, he just threw out the my stuff behind me, closing the door. It hit me hard enough to definitely bruise my organs. I didn't care about that though, not that moment at least._

"I may have been a bit harsh, but you have to understand everything that I saw," He refused to disclose that, but I didn't really push him for answers.

"I was only thinking of you, but you already knew that," I had to know that he knew that.

"I know," He admitted ruefully.

"Do you know why I didn't come back to you? What I haven't told you about the story?" I hated myself more than anything right now, "Before I came here to Japan, and even before leaving Italy, I was going to have a baby."

"What happened?" He asked as if someone else where in our places.

* * *

OMG!!! It has been WAY to long since I last updated! I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOO sorry~~~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, language, over-used plot-line, cliffhanger, yep, it's me writing.

I wrote this eons after sleep deprivation, so that may be some of the crappiness. Well, please review, even if it be to yell at me.


	8. The Trial, day 1, part 2

"Do you know why I didn't come back to you? What I haven't told you about the story?" I hated myself more than anything right now, "Before I came here to Japan, and even before leaving Italy, I was going to have a baby."

"What happened?" He asked as if someone else where in our places.

I frowned, "You know me."

"So you lost it, didn't you? When I threw your stuff behind you," I could tell that he regretted that now more than anything else in his life, more out of respect for me I think.

"Amazingly, no. I was put at a higher risk for problems though," I gave it a brief thought, mourning for what could have happened, "I had a healthy baby girl."

"A girl," He thought about that for a second, "So, what happened to her?"

"I tried my hardest to care for her, but I just couldn't do it, even with help, so I gave her up for adoption. I tried to call you during that time, but you wouldn't even answer the phone," I smiled weakly, still wondering if my decision was the right one.

"So why did you come here?" He asked aloofly.

I hesitated for a moment, "The friend who helped with the baby, he came here for work, but because he was so concerned with me, he took me with him. He vanished just after we arrived and I've been in such a stupor, I've just been floating around the continent, searching for some purpose."

"So, why did prince charming leave you here?" Gokudera seemed to be jealous of nothing.

I couldn't help but laugh at him, "Jealous much?"

He reddened and looked away grumbling, "Such an annoying woman!"

"That's the man I fell in love with, worried about nothing when the only one to compute with me is you. Nothing happened, though heaven knows he tried. I was too consumed with you, despite everything," I grabbed his hand from across the table.

"What about Yamamoto?" He could obviously care less about his ally.

That sent me jarringly back to the present, so I released his hand and sat back in my seat, "Of course. He's my present, and you, me, us, that's the past."

I couldn't have felt further from the truth. I had completely forgotten about him, way too easily to brush it off as nothing. How could I have? He was such a great guy, and I did feel some sort of connection to him, but I could not deny Gokudera. He seemed to read the pain in my expression like a psychic reads tealeaves. I hated how much he could read me, how I hadn't changed at all.

"Akari, I know what you're thinking. Perhaps we should go home for the night?" He stood up and offered his hand.

"But we haven't eaten yet-"

He shrugged, "I'll cook up something later,"

Him? Cook? That oughta be rich. Sure, his older sister is a natural master of the kitchen, but I doubted if he could make much more than cup noodles.

"You better deliever," I handed him my hand and he helped me up, "Or you'll be sorry."

Back at home, we had arrived just as the sun began to set in a magnificent dance of blood-red flames. True, it was one of the most breathtaking sunsets I had ever seen, but I knew that it would be the worst and truest to its color. Tonight would be better than great, but tomorrow would be a sad day indeed.

"You coming?" He asked impaitently form the doorway.

I nodded and followed him inside, "Yeah."

"Akari, are you alright?" He asked after the door was locked and we had a movie running on the DVD player.

I glanced distractedly from pretending to watch the classic gangster flick, "Why wouldn't I be?"

"You were all hands at the resturant, but now your practically a germaphobe," He commented, also barely watching the movie.

I turned to look at him fully on the couch, "I'm not fine, alright? I lied tou when I told you that I was over you and didn't care, I'm practically cheating on my boyfriend after about a day, and worst of all, I still love you!"

"Akari, you really need to sort out your priorities," He laughed at me, bending closer to thumb away my hysterical tears.

I held his hand over my face and kissed his other hand, "I know you've moved on, but dammit, I can't stop myself more than Hero and Leander can separate,"

He closed his eyes, sighing is disgust with himself, "I haven't moved on. I don't even know why I told you that I did."

"So you love me?" I smiled at him, jumping from nearly under him to a straddling position.

He shook his head and messed with a loose piece of my hair, "Hymenaios only knows why."

I looked at him in surprise, "Does that mean what I think?"

"Wow, you're not as dumb as you look," He was mildly amused and overtly amazed.

"Yes," Gokudera kissed me to ease my feelings of infidelity, "I will marry you."

We used last time not only to plan the perfect wedding, but to test out our relationship on a more serious but less permanent level. I knew it would be the same this time, and I was just fine with that. No matter what misgivings I have, it can wait until the morning.

* * *

**Gokudera:**

"Do you know why I didn't come back to you? What I haven't told you about the story?" She looked like she hated herself more than anything had the capacity to be hated, "Before I came here to Japan, and even before leaving Italy, I was going to have a baby."

"What happened?" I was stunned by her news, unable to comprehend what it meant.

She frowned, "You know me."

"So you lost it, didn't you? When I threw your stuff behind you," I wasn't trying to be an asshole here, I meant it as caring as I could. I did regret that, but more because of the fact that I hurt two innocent lives.

"Amazingly, no. I was put at a higher risk for problems though," She reflected on her words and experiences before continuing, "I had a healthy baby girl."

"A girl," I repeated, always imagining my fist child to be a girl for some reason, "So, what happened to her?"

"I tried my hardest to care for her, but I just couldn't do it, even with help, so I gave her up for adoption. I tried to call you during that time, but you wouldn't even answer the phone," I did get her calls, but I deleted them without listening to a single one.

"So why did you come here?" I asked unsympathetically.

She froze momentarily, "The friend who helped with the baby, he came here for work, but because he was so concerned with me, he took me with him. He vanished just after we arrived and I've been in such a stupor, I've just been floating around the continent, searching for some purpose."

"So, why did prince charming leave you here?" I found myself to be excesively envious.

Akari laughed at me, despite the serious conversation, "Jealous much?"

I tsked and turned away fuming, "Such an annoying woman!"

"That's the man I fell in love with, worried about nothing when the only one to compute with me is you. Nothing happened, though heaven knows he tried. I was too consumed with you, despite everything," She grabbed my hand from across the table.

"What about Yamamoto?" I didn't really care, but because it was important to her, I asked.

That freaked her out, so she released my hand and sat back, "Of course. He's my present, and you, me, us, that's the past."

"Akari, I know what you're thinking. Perhaps we should go home for the night?" I didn't believe her, and her face alone confirmed my suspicion, so I decided to take her home, in the most gentlemanly of ways.

"But we haven't eaten yet-"

I shrugged, "I'll cook up something later,"

I knew I was no cook, much to Bianchi's disappointment, but I could at least try.

"You better deliever," She handed me her hand and I helped her up, "Or you'll be sorry."

We arrived at home without any incidents at sundown. I wasn't one for all that poetic nonsense, but I am superstitious, so the splendid display of light was one of great foreboding.

"You coming?" I snapped becuase Akari was taking too long staring at the approaching dusk.

She bobbed her head and spoke absentmindedly., "Yeah."

"Akari, are you alright?" I asked after we settled down to a movie neither of us were watching.

She looked around like a rooster marking its territory, "Why wouldn't I be?"

"You were all hands at the restaurant, but now your practically a germaphobe," I was more focused on her than the movie.

She turned to gaze intently at me, "I'm not fine, alright? I lied to you when I told you that I was over you and didn't care, I'm practically cheating on my boyfriend after about a day, and worst of all, I still love you!"

"Akari, you really need to sort out your priorities," I chuckled, wiping away her tears with my thumbs.

She held one hand in place over her face and kissed my other hand all over, "I know you've moved on, but dammit, I can't stop myself more than Hero and Leander can separate,"

I blinked, mortified with what I was about to confess, "I haven't moved on. I don't even know why I told you that I did."

"So you love me?" She jumped me.

I twisted her hair around her ear, "Hymenaios only knows why."

She was shocked to hear me say that, "Does that mean what I think?"

"Wow, you're not as dumb as you look," I had no idea she knew who that was.

"Yes," I kissed her, because I knew it would have to be me to make the first move to keep her happy, "I will marry you."

Score!

* * *

Hymenaios is the god of marriage in Greek mythology. I actually had a hard time deciding on what deity to use, but this one was it.

On another note, I would like to give thanks to one of the reviews I had received on the last chapter. I would also like to apologize for the second. I had no intention of upsetting anyone, I just wasn't sure of how to end the last chapter, and I had to go to bed to wake up the next morning, so my time was limited.


	9. The Trial, day 2, part 1

_I open my eyes  
I try to see but I'm blinded by the white light  
I can't remember how  
I can't remember why  
I'm lying here tonight_

And I can't stand the pain  
And I can't make it go away  
No I can't stand the pain

How could this happen to me  
I made my mistakes  
I've got nowhere to run  
The night goes on  
As I'm fading away  
I'm sick of this life  
I just wanna scream  
How could this happen to me

Everybody's screaming  
I try to make a sound but no one hears me  
I'm slipping off the edge  
I'm hanging by a thread  
I wanna start this over again

So I try to hold onto a time when nothing mattered  
And I can't explain what happened  
And I can't erase the things that I've done  
No I can't

How could this happen to me  
I made my mistakes  
I've got nowhere to run  
The night goes on  
As I'm fading away  
I'm sick of this life  
I just wanna scream  
How could this happen to me

_~simple plan_

I just listened to the clock-radio play, not moving a hair. This song, even though the lyrics weren't meant to be like that, made a genuine connection with my love life. Pretty stupid, huh? I knew my fiancee would say so, so I kept my mouth closed as he reached around me to turn off the alarm.

"How do you feel?" He asked, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.

I felt so sick, so horrible. I had cheated on my boyfriend of about a day, and I was happy. I was with my ex again, all set to be married to the only man I'll ever love, Gokudera Hayato. What about poor Yamamoto? It was just a day sure, but if it weren't for him, I probably wouldn't even have seen Gokudera ever again. Ugh, that's a fine way to look at things. I cheat, and I justify it.

"Fine," I lied, a lost venture with him.

He rolled his eyes at me, I'm sure he did, "You worry too much. You were with him for less than forty-two hours, so I'm sure no damage has been dealt."

"He'll act like it at least. He's a nice guy, so he'll most likely act like everything's fine," I insisted.

He shook his head against my shoulder, "Miss Romantic, he's a guy who barely knew you, a guy who doesn't get anything that goes on around him,"

"So you say," I sat up and stretched, letting the blanket fall to reveal my lucky bra.

"Some lucky bra," Gokudera looked at it resentfully.

I let out an involuntary giggle, "I never meant lucky like _that_."

"Shut up," He pulled me back down to the mattress.

I looked at the clock before his gorgous Japanese-Italian head invaded my field of vision. If we took a quick shower together, we did have enough spare time for a bit of early morning luck. I'm sure he would not object to that at all.

Just before leaving for school, Gokudera pulled me aside, "Are you sure that you want to do it as soon as you see him? I mean, practically everyone will be there."

"I don't care, becuase I deserve worse. Besides," I grinned, "Are you afraid that everyone will blame you for stealing me away and hurting him?"

He snorted, "As afraid that the world ended six years ago."

Whatever that meant, "So, you ready?"

He sighed and stuffed his hands inside his pockets, "I just hope the Tenth isn't too disappointed in me."

I rolled my eyes. Is there anything he wouldn't do for that kid?_Go kill the world. Right away Tenth! Bring me your dead mother's head. I'll bring the whole family! Break-up with Yamamoto's girlfriend. Whatever you say, sir! _Ok, I doubted he would go that far, but still, the same principle applies. At least I hope so.

"Akari, do you know who adopted her?" Gokudera asked on the way to school.

I made sure no one was around before replying softly in Italian, "A friend of mine, Lancia."

"Was he a big guy with face markings and a snake-engraved ball?" He asked somewhat worriedly in the same tongue.

"He was great with her when I lived with everyone. A bit intimidating-looking, but a great guy with kids," I knew she'd be well looked after with him.

"Everyone? I assume you mean Mukuro Rokudo was that friend who brought you here then?" He was frightened to hear I gotten mixed in with such a man.

I failed to see what the problem was, "He's not so bad once you get passed his creepy quirks."

"You really _are _stupid, aren't you?" Knowing Mukuro like he did, he was obviously baffled at how I knew him.

"Listen, whatever he may have done, he's been a good friend to me, so let's just not talk about him anymore, ne?" I didn't like talking about Mukuro, because it reminded me of the most painful time in my life.

"Well, I suppose I owe him," Gokudera decided to count this as his payment.

"Payment for what?" I hadn't heard this story yet.

"We where all brought to the future, and he basically helped save our asses and bring us back," He explained, leaving out a detail or twelve.

"When?" I asked interestedly.

He looked at me, surprised I wanted to know something like that, "About a year ago."

"Hm, so I take it that we weren't-"

"I didn't care to investigate myself too overtly, because I was too preoccupied with helping the others," He cut me off.

"In other words, you were too afraid of what you would find out about yourself," Were I more logical, I probably would have done the same.

He ignored that, turning our conversation in Japanese from here on, "Here we go,"

I saw Tsuna, Yamamoto, and basically everyone else gathered around Reborn just in front of us. I looked at Gokudera and walked forward courageously, with my head held high.

**

* * *

**

Gokudera:

I laid wake, holding Akari protectively in my arms. I felt her trembling breath as some tragic Simple Plan song played on the clock radio. She was guilty, I just knew it by the way her shoulders were knotted, the way she let out a dry half-sob.

"How do you feel?" I asked, sliding my arms from her waist to her shoulders.

"Fine," She tried to lie, not wanting me to think that she was more interested in Yamamoto.

I rolled my eyes at her, "You worry too much. You were with him for less than fourty-two hours, so I'm sure no damage has been dealt."

"He'll act like it at least. He's a nice guy, so he'll most likely act like everything's fine," She insisted.

I shook my head gently against her shoulder blades, "Miss Romantic, he's a guy who barely knew you, a guy who doesn't get anything that goes on around him,"

"So you say," She sat up, letting the blanket fall to reveal her bra.

"Some lucky bra," I scoffed, thinking that the floor was luckier than I.

She giggled, "I never meant lucky like _that_."

"Shut up," I glared at the shirt that had been removed in our sleep and pulled her back down.

Just before leaving for school,I pulled Akari aside, "Are you sure that you want to do it as soon as you see him? I mean, practically everyone will be there."

"I don't care, becuase I deserve worse. Besides," She grinned, "Are you afraid that everyone will blame you for stealing me away and hurting him?"

I snorted, "As afraid that the world ended six years ago."

"So, you ready?" She inquired.

I sighed and stuffed my hands inside my pant pockets, "I just hope the Tenth isn't too disappointed in me."

She rolled her eyes.

"Akari, do you know who adopted her?" I asked on the way to school.

She glanced nervously around before replying softly in Italian, "A friend of mine, Lancia."

"Was he a big guy with face markings and a snake-engraved ball?" I was mortified in at least two lanuages.

"He was great with her when I lived with everyone. A bit intimidating-looking, but a great guy with kids," She seemed convinced.

"Everyone? I assume you mean Mukuro Rokudo was that friend who brought you here then?" I added it up.

She, of course, failed to see what the problem was, "He's not so bad once you get passed his creepy quirks."

"You really _are_stupid, aren't you?" Knowing Mukuro like she did, she was obviously baffled at how I knew him.

"Listen, whatever he may have done, he's been a good friend to me, so let's just not talk about him anymore, ne?" I could tell she didn't like talking about her darkest moments.

"Well, I suppose I owe him," I decided to count this as his payment.

"Payment for what?" I forgot that she hadn't heard this story yet.

"We where all brought to the future, and he basically helped save our asses and bring us back," I explained, leaving out a detail or twelve.

"When?" She asked interestedly.

I wondered why she wanted to know something like that, "About a year ago."

"Hm, so I take it that we weren't-"

"I didn't care to investigate myself too overtly, because I was too preoccupied with helping the others," I interrupted her.

"In other words, you were too afraid of what you would find out about yourself," She would have done the same, were she in my shoes.

I continued our conversation in Japanese from here on, "Here we go,"

I saw Tsuna, Yamamoto, and basically everyone else gathered around Reborn just in front of us. I looked at Akari, silently begging her to rethink her crucifixion. She smiled and walked forward courageously, with her head held high.

* * *

OK, as brought to my attention, the characters are doing thins ill-fit for their ages, but I am telling you now that this fic A), has a distorted time line, and B), the characters are at least 17. Anyways, thanks, and I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday!

Ne is like Ok in Japanese.


	10. The Trial, day 2, part 2

"Akari, Gokudera!" Yamamoto noticed us and waved.

"We need to talk," I bit my lower lip as he led me way from the others.

"Akari, I'm glad we're on the same page. After last night, all I could think about was you," He smiled and grabbed my hands, "I already talked to the others about it, and they say that I love you,"

All that registered with me were the last three words, "What did you say?"

He repeated himself for me twice before I could fathom his words. I could only blink, even after it sunk in. I saw Gokudera fretting my predicament from the corner of my eye.

"Yamamoto...." I didn't know what to say, "I have something I need to tell you....." I was so afraid of hurting that sweet smile, I lost my nerve, "I'm not ready to say it back,"

He waved it away, "It's alright, I'm not sure if they're right anyways."

"We should return to the others," I walked away from him, frowning.

Gokudera, unable to wait, launched into an Italian interrogation, "What the hell?! You didn't do it, did you?"

I looked at my feet, following the crowd with my pherifrals as we walked, "No,"

"Dammit Akari! What the hell are we supposed to do now?"He shouted at her as mutely as he could.

"I don't know," I whimpered.

He sighed deeply and took my hand as we walked, not to school, but to Yamamoto's sushi shop. Why were we going to my workplace? Err...Yamamoto's place?

"Everyone's probably wondering why we're all here," Reborn said as Haru and Chrome joined them, "And I'll tell you, it is part of the today's challenge. A friend of mine has been so generous as to give students the day off, so I decided that we should come here for today."

Tsuna looked at Reborn, wondering which of his disguises he had used to make that happen. I could only stare at my feet as Gokudera stood a bit too close to me. Nobody noticed that so far as I know. Yamamoto just smiled at me, hurting me even worse for what I was doing to him, but I knew I deserved worse.

"So today, not only will we work doing whatever is requested of us, but we will also have an interview to see how well you all did yesterday," Reborn motioned for us to wait outside as he went inside the building and came back out with Yamamoto's father, "And I won't be doing it alone."

Great, just what I needed. An interview and community service. It felt like the old days when my mother had been my manager. Good PR work, just too much of it.

"So, to be fair, I decided to randomly draw names from a hat, and the first pair will be Akari-chan and Gokudera," He smiled at me as if I were his already his daughter-in-law. And when was it he started calling me chan? Well, it would be worse soon enough.

"Gokudera, Akari, you two can catch up later, everyone else, follow me," Reborn led the others away. Yamamoto smiled and waved at me before leaving.

"So, if you don't mind Akari-chan, I will be a bit more though with your interview, seeing as you work for me," He bowed his head apologetically at me as we sat down at any empty booth.

"Not at all," I shook my head.

He cleared his throat before beginning, "So, Gokudera, where was Akari born?"

"Japan, but she grew up all over the world as her mother trained her as a professional athlete," He knew that without missing a beat.

"Akari, where was Gokudera born?" He was obviously more interested in me, but he had to try to be fair.

"Italy," I knew his story as well as he knew mine.

"You said your mother trained you as a professional athlete? What sport or sports did she start out with you?" He seemed to pick up something from Gokudera's answer.

"She trained me in baseball, but when baseball season was over, she trained me in iceskating," I wondered what my life as an athlete had to do with all of this.

"Uh-huh, and what is her family situation?" He turned back to Gokudera.

"Like parents and siblings?" He made sure before answering.

He nodded at him, "Of course!"

"Her mother divorced her father because they had problems on how to raise Akari and her brother," Gokudera looked at me sideways, avoiding eye contact.

"Was your mother by chance named Sakura Inoue?" He looked at me like he was about to hurl.

"Yeah, it was. How did you know that?" I looked at him in amazement.

Gokudera slapped his forehead in frustration, "Because Yamamoto's your twin brother."

I looked between my fellow interviewee and interviewer, "Really?"

"Well that explains alot," I shook my head, overjoyed by this news, "So that's a relief,"

Hayato stood on my foot, "Yeah, it's a good thing nothing happened,"

"So, how should we tell him his sister is alive?" I asked my father.

He looked at me in horror, "You can't. I told him that his mother died giving birth to only him."

"But if I don't, then wouldn't that be incest?" I made sure my father knew what he was saying.

"Only if anything happens! Your only chance is to break up with him," He felt bad for me, but at the same time, I saw that he would not change his mind on this.

"Good luck there," Gokudera snorted.

I glared at hm before pleading to my dad, "Can't you just forbid him from seeing me?"

They answered me at the same time, "That'll only make him want you more."

"Then what am I supposed to do?" I was at a loss.

"You're a drifter, right? You could leave," He obviously felt resent towards me due to my mother.

"She could get caught cheating," Gokudera suggested.

"Yeah, no," I shook my head, thinking of how hard that would end up being for me.

"How hard could it honestly be?" Gokudera read my mind.

Well, pretty easy, but becuase I wanted to get caught with him, I wouldn't, "Karma."

"Akari, it would solve our problems so we could get married sooner," He forgot that we weren't alone.

"Married? You want to marry my little girl?" Sure, he cared about that, but not the fact that I was dating my own brother. How bad did my mother fuck him up?

* * *

Shorter, I know, but I was excited to get back to my original idea for the story. Ok, things may not have shaped out how I planed them, but still, I at least had a plan this time! Please review and tell me what you think! I'm always glad to hear what my readers think or have to say!


	11. The Trial, day 2, part 3

I could have killed Gokudera at that moment. Not a minute after I met my father, he tells him that we're getting married! Che, and I'm the stupid one out of the two of us?

"We love each other," He grabbed my hand and pulled me closer to him.

"Oh really?" He crossed his arms and stared sown at Gokudera, myself shrunken into invisibility.

He nodded, lighting his first ciggertte in about ten minutes, "We've dated for several years,"

He wasn't impressed, "Congratulations."

Dammit, why did my fiancee have to have such a short fuse?

"Easy, gramps, it's not like we're in over over heads," He wrapped his arm around my shoulders defiantly.

"Gramps?!" My father turned his attention to me for the first time.

I leaned forward and rushed to explain, "We had a baby, but I gave her up for adoption. I may not be ready for motherhood, but I am ready for marriage."

My words were very moving if I do say so myself. I think they agreed, but being men, they weren't as prone to tears. Jerks.

"Knock-knock," A voice I knew quite well chuckled as he walked into the restaurant.

"Sorry sir, but we're closed," Ol' Yamamoto stood and apologized.

I could just envision him walking up closer, "I'm not here for food, I'm here on business."

Gokudera turned to see who was speaking, and I wished he hadn't, "YOU!"

"Me?" He pointed at himself, smirking gleefully.

Gokudera jumped up, and pulled out two sticks of dynamite. The unwelcome blast-from-my-past laughed, knowing full well who would emerge victorious. I too knew who would win that fight, so I slid out of the booth and put my arm on Gokudera's shoulder.

"Hey, he's Vongola too," I may have stood up for him earlier, but seeing him in person reminded me of his final attempt at me.

"Akari-chan, looking lovely as ever I see. I hope there are no hard feelings about the last time we saw each other?" He ignored everyone else and acted as if we were the only two present.

I wanted to hold it against him, but I couldn't for some reason, "No, what's in the past is in the past."

"So I hear. Congratulations on the engagement, I hope it works this time," It was obvious that he only wanted it to work for himself.

"Nothing will separate us this time," I answered before Gokudera could.

"That's wonderful," Not for him it wasn't, "Well I'm not here for reminiscing. I came here because it's time to wrap things up here,"

I looked at Gokudera's watch and saw that we had been talking for more than three hours. Where did all that time go?

"So we'll more about this later than?" Ol' Yamamoto was ignorant as to what kind of man stood uninvited in the present company.

"Yeah," I spoke dryly, conflicted as to what I should do.

Mukuro followed us outside, "The baby requested that I bring you to him."

I wondered exactly what Mukuro's relationship was with the Vongola, "Alright."

Gokudera, trusting Mukuro less and less by the second, held me protectively as we walked, muttering things like, "Stupid jerk, I won't let you lay a single finger on her again. I can't see how the Tenth trusts you."

"Ciaossu," Reborn jumped from the air, drop-kicking Gokudera's head.

Being my brother's sister, I easily moved from Hayato's grip before he was hit and completely sidestepped the entire event, "Ciao, Reborn-san."

"Impressive movements. With the proper training, you could become a hit man," I was sure he had said the same thing to my brother.

"No, I'm happy enough where I am," I shook my head and declined.

"Too bad. I have a client here with a request specifically for you," He smirked and Bianchi stepped into sight, making Gokudera faint on cue.

She sighed, "Such a weak child. Ah, Akari, I didn't think I'd see you again!"

"Bianchi-nee!" I dropped Gokudera on his face and hugged her.

"So, when can I expect my invitation?" She held her hand out for one.

I looked beyond her at everyone's faces, "Uh," I wasn't sure what to tell her, because of all the witnesses and how she'd react after we did publicly announce our engagement, "It's a long story. Why don't I tell you on the way?"

She caught what I was implying, so she nodded and helped me carry Gokudera away from the other two, not without suspicion.

"Thank-you, so much! I thought I was toast back there," I nodded gratefully as we lugged Gokudera onto one of the cots at the school infirmary.

"I feel horrible for leaving my precious Reborn-kun like that, but for my darling little sister, I'd do anything," I knew Bianchi would too, that's the scary thing.

I sat on a free cot, nodding to the one on the other side, "Before I begin, I have to tell you this is of the utmost secrecy. I mean lives are at stake here."

She pointed at my stomach as if it were something poisonous, cupping her freehand to her mouth, "Oh Akari, you didn't!"

"No!" I didn't want her to know about the neice she'd never meet.

She believed me, "Then what is it?"

"Where to begin? You know that I'm dating Yamamoto, right? Well, I want to break up with him, but every time I've tried, I just can't do it," I slumped down like paper against a breeze.

"You mean you're not with Hayato?" Bianchi herself wasn't sure how she felt about that.

I looked back at him, "Well, actually, I am."

"Two-timing? Akari, that's not like you at all!" Bianchi knew I would never do that willingly.

I slid from the cot to the floor and grabbed her hands, begging for guidance, "I never stopped loving your brother for one second, but by the time I realized that, I had already started dating Yamamoto."

She ran her fingers comfortingly through my hair, "Oh, Akari."

I saw little tear stains on her pants as I continued, "It gets worse. He's my brother, but father refuses to tell him that, so I have to get caught cheating!"

"That's horrible! If there's anyway I can help, just let me know, ok?" I nodded, wondering how I seemed to be the only one to get treated so nicely by her, "I always wanted a little sister."

* * *

I know, this chappy was short and uneventful. A total filler with zero point. Yay! I finally wrote a filler!!!! Well, I wanted to thank everyone for reading and reviewing, and I hope you continue to read as I finish (the end is not near to the best of my knowledge) writing this lovely fic.


	12. My Family, the end

Ok, this will be the final chapter. However, this isn't quite the end...Because the original sucked so badly, I might be rewriting it while leaving up the original, just in case someone out there actually likes this version. Ok, just to make sure I'm not mistaken, I'll say it again: This fic sucked (well, the main character and story progression - meaning that I got stuck/bored/wasn't a very good writer), and so I have (also due to suggestion) decided to consider rewriting the story. However, I have chosen to keep this fic posted and finish it, just in case anyone out there liked it.

**WARNING: this has been written as an instant ending and will probably fail epically due to little to no interest/effort. Yeah, I might have also switched perspectives. Oh well.  
**

**You Have Been Warned!**

**

* * *

**

Sitting and stratagizing with Bianchi, Gokudera still unconscious on the cot, Akari came up with the perfect plan. Bianchi would call Yamamoto to ask him to assist her with her brother, where a "newly" awoken Gokudera would be making out with his girlfriend, thus ending the relationship. At least, that was the plan...

Once everything had been arranged, Bianchi called in the Rain Gardian. He showed up at the school around an hour after Bianchi called, a foreboding in the air. Akari and Gokudera were already in place. In fact, they were dangerously close to making Yamamoto see more than they had planned...

"He's still your brother, remember?" Bianchi pried them apart, half glad to see her own brother so lively, half sickened to have to watch him like this.

"Yeah!" She playfully smacked Gokudera's shoulder, even though it was her fault.

Bianchi rolled her eyes, getting into place. The door opened slowly as Yamamoto stuck his head inside the doorway, looking for Bianchi. At least, that's what Akari assumed was happening. She was tongue-deep in her lover, eyes tightly closed as he caressed her back. There was a shocked silence in the room.

"Akari? What's going on?" Yamamoto walked closer to his sister.

She sat up, still straddling Gokudera, her eyes wide, "Oh! It's not what it looks like!"

There was a snort from behind Bianchi. Mukuro was chuckling at Akari, "And here I thought that you were a better actress than that."

"What are you doing here?" Gokudera demanded, pointing a finger at him.

Yamamoto helped Akari off of him, "He was just telling me your story."

"Oh," She cleared her throat nervously, "Well, then you should also know-"

"Don't bother. I already told your brother everything I know about you. Well, everything a brother would want to know about his sister," Mukuro smirked, nastily implying something about their relationship.

She looked between Gokudera and Yamamoto, "Then there's nothing more to say, is there?"

Gokudera got up and grabbed her hand, "Well, you're almost right. We still have to say 'I do'."

I beamed, jumping in his arms, "I've waited so long to hear you say that!"

"Well, would you mind waiting a bit longer? I'd like to get to know my sister before I have to give her up to one of my best friends," Yamamoto pulled her off of his friend.

She sighed, "As if you'd lose me to anyone. You're my twin brother; we have a special kind of bond."

He nodded, "That's true. Besides, he can't hog you your entire life."

"Just most of it," Akari chuckled, "Anyways, we have time until then."

...

And we did figure everything out.


End file.
